Help others discover this review
Languages:
English
Russian
GeorgianGeorgian cuisine is one of my favorites. Especially since many of their dishes have cheese as the main ingredient. Having cheese, I don't need more. I'm that easy, what can we do.
Georgia has barely 4 million inhabitants, a population similar to that of just the city of Madrid. It is a small country, nestled in a forgotten and unknown region (the Caucasus) that nobody pays attention to. Perhaps this is why its gastronomy will never lead the rankings, but, in my opinion, Georgian cuisine is one of the best in the world. And, above all, of the most varied. This is appreciated when you are going to spend several months in a new destination and, even more so, if you are like me and spend your days eating out.
Continuing the journey in Georgia, I reached the beautiful city of Kutaisi, which now houses one of the best restaurants in Georgia. Join me to learn about some other local Georgian dishes.
Those who know me know that I don't pay much attention to food; But when I'm going to try something, I look for the best restaurant for it. Best or nothing.
I would like to try the local cheeses of western Georgia; First I have to say that I had tried a few other Georgian restaurants in Kutaisi, except for the local vegetable market, I didn't find any other place that catered to Georgian customs. You know, I wanted everything to be done right; The way it is served, the real taste, the freshness,... I got to know Palaty restaurant after some searching. The restaurant that tourism sources say is the best restaurant in Kutaisi.
The first thing that may excite you in Palaty is its atmosphere. The color scheme and white wooden design make the atmosphere very romantic and family on the second floor, and the first floor is very modern, and has the look of cafes for young people. So I chose the second floor for the party.
The word “palaty” means Imereti ode where the first floor is built of limestone. There is a feel of a warm family atmosphere and home fire is always burns. It is the place where family spends most of time and receives guests. So, palaty is associated with home, delicious food and pleasant and cozy environment. Palaty receives visitors in especially friendly atmosphere and hosts them with selected and originally tasted traditional local dishes. The most important thing for us is to make guests feel more at home. Located in the prettiest place of old city, near the white bridge Palaty is stands out by its comfortable and vintage environment; we have two floors that are different from each other, floral terrace and a small beautiful yard. Romantic space of the first floor everyday welcomes guests of our city with sweet tunes of live jazz. A light and colorful environment of the second floor makes calm and positive mood.
Georgia is among the best cheese manufacturing countries. The country counts the centuries-old tradition of cheese making. It comes as no surprise that Georgia is rich in cheese varieties. Below are the top 5 Georgian cheeses you should taste while visiting the country.
Imeretian Cheese origianates from the Imereti region (west part of Georgia). It is a curd cheese made from cow’s milk. It matures quickly within one or two days. Imeretian cheese is soft and has a salty, sour taste.
I must say, this type of cheese is served in the best possible way at Palaty restaurant, a very fresh, fragrant and tasty cheese that makes you always remember its taste.
Every restaurant serves this salad, but in Palaty it's more different. The salad is more fresh and tasty, they know when to serve it. It is quite similar to a Greek salad but instead of feta, oregano and olive oil dressing, it’s dressed with a garlicky, walnut dressing and topped with a generous amount of fresh herbs like coriander and parsley.
pkhali is a type of salad or spread that is very typical to Georgian cuisine. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find a meal table that doesn’t include pkhali as one of the many appetisers and fresh dishes on offer.
The dish is made with a host of different vegetables commonly found in Georgian cuisine. Most often, you will find beet pkhali (both with beetroot and beat leaves), carrot pkhali, cabbage pkhali and eggplant pkhali.
Eggplant pkhali, is more often referred to as badrijani nigvzit, or eggplant with walnuts. At its heart, all pkhali is a pâté made with pureed vegetables with walnuts and spices and it is incredibly flavourful and deeply delicious.
Pkhali is generally shaped into golfball-sized balls, garnished with pomegranate seeds and then served cold. It has a spreadable consistency and is very good on its own (traditional in Georgia) or spread on crostini, crudités or crackers. It is also great served alongside more “western” appetizers, such as my artichoke bruschetta!
As it respects every taste, Palaty restaurant in Kutaisi uses all four models to serve for guests. This is the best way to serve in Georgia, showing the diversity of the country's cuisine to different cultures; It is like entering a restaurant in Iran, and they serve you all types of stew in one dish.
Nigvziani badrijani (or badrijani nigvzit) is a very popular Georgian appetizer that consists of fried eggplant rolls filled with a garlicky walnut paste. I have a hard time telling whether my favourite thing is the incredible flavour that the eggplant and walnut combination delivers, or the contrast in texture between the soft flesh of the eggplant and the thick walnut paste inside. Georgian eggplant rolls with walnut paste is a food I always order at Georgian restaurants. So don't be surprised if you see that I wrote this before in another restaurant; This is a wonderful dish, and why not try it at the best restaurant in Kutaisi, Palaty Restaurant?
Though certainly not as popular or well-known as its cheesy cousin, khachapuri, the Georgian bean-stuffed bread lobiani is one of the most common and tasty Georgian dishes out there. A bit more healthy than its cheese-filled counterparts (especially indulgent Adjaruli khachapuri).
Basically, lobiani consists of just two things — a mashed red bean mixture stuffed inside a pastry. Typically, the bread will be round and the most common form you will find (including the one in this recipe) is going to look similar to an Imeruli khachapuri. It is a round bread made in a simple yeasted dough.
This dish is cooked a little different at the Palaty restaurant, they cover it with thin slices of meat, the bread is fresher, and it is cooked well enough.
Need to add information.
Now we move on to one of the best Georgian desserts, which is served here, at the Palati Kutaisi restaurant, with chacha drink.
Pelamushi: is one of the popular desserts in Georgia. The main ingredients are Badagi (a kind of grape syrup), sugar, and wheat flour. This Georgian grape juice pudding can be prepared with both wheat flour and corn flour.
Chacha: Nestled in the heart of the Caucasus region of Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range, Georgia has a climate that is perfect for grape cultivation. One of the world’s oldest wine producing regions, grapes are thought to have first appeared in the country as far back nearly 8,000 years. Grape cultivation and wine making are therefore a significant part of Georgia’s history and culture, and continue to play a vital role in the country’s economy. It is not only a rich diversity in wine, however, that Georgia’s vineyards are famous for. Grape cultivation and wine production have also resulted in the development of chacha (not to be confused with the popular cha-cha/cha-cha-cha dance from the Republic of Cuba), Georgia’s traditional national drink. Though chacha can refer to any alcoholic drink made out of fruit, in Georgia chacha has become synonymous with the grape version and is also sometimes called “grape vodka,” “vine vodka,” or “Georgian Vodka.” First distilled over one thousand years ago, chacha is made from grape pomace (the solid remains from wine production) and is a colorless, odorless, and potent (40% or greater alcohol by volume) beverage with a soft, refined, and rich taste.
